Check this photo from the May 8, 1950 edition of Life magazine: students "rioting" in the streets for better salaries for their teachers, after their teachers refused to take on extra duties like chaperoning proms after being denied raises.

Their teachers, paid salaries of from $2500 to $5,325, had been asking $600 raises, but were offered only $150-$200 instead:

25,000 students held "mass rallies all over NY which had the police department jumping. Carring banners on which their pro-teacher sentiments were scrawled in lipstick, they held up subway trains, wrecked automobiles, dared police to break them up and were prevented only by hasty police action from forcing their way into the office of Mayor O'Dwyer, who had refused to discuss higher salaries. School officials declared the riots were staged by 'subversive elements'."

According to the caption on the photo at right, "Milling rowdies overturn car parked near city hall and mount it to shout their insults at the police and Mayor O'Dwyer. Attempts to storm the mayor's office were thwarted by flying wedges of patient policemen."

And this was before there were cell phones, Facebook and twitter. Just think!

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